F1 News: Christian Horner Pitches Junior Driver Ready For Promotion To Formula One

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has identified the junior driver "next in line" for a Formula 1 promotion. Rising F2 star Isack Hadjar, currently just half a point behind the championship leader, has been suggested as a potential addition to either Red Bull or VCARB in the near future. While Hadjar is tipped to join one of Red Bull's teams, his promotion will depend on driver movements within both outfits.

As the team's current reserve driver, the Frenchman is widely seen as a strong contender for a Red Bull race seat should the team decide to replace Sergio Perez during the off-season. At just 19 years old, he is a standout member of the Red Bull junior program and recently stepped in for Max Verstappen during FP1 at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where he posted the 15th fastest time.

Red Bull has confirmed that the 2025 driver lineups for both teams will be finalized in a meeting scheduled the day after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Perez's future with the team remains a factor, as his underperformance has raised concerns within the Milton Keynes outfit this season. The outcome will influence decisions for other drivers, with Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson under close evaluation for the seat alongside Max Verstappen.

Horner made it clear that Hadjar was the next junior candidate to enter the premier class of motorsport. He would likely join VCARB instead of directly jumping alongside the four-time world champion. However, it remains to be seen who will be his teammate, as Lawson hasn't secured a contract extension for 2025 just yet. Speaking to the media on Hadjar's FP1 run, Horner told Sky Sports F1, as reported by RacingNews365:

"It was very important not to put a mark on the [Max Verstappen's] car. He did a good job. He gave some reasonable feedback in that in that session.

"That's his character. I think he's quite an emotive communicator.

"He's one of the junior programmes [one of its drivers], so depending on movements, he would be next in line to get an opportunity."

Horner added that Hadjar was in the fight for the F2 championship with Gabriel Bortoleto and highlighted how this race weekend remains extremely important for him. He added:

"He's fighting for the Formula 2 championship this weekend.

"There's half a point between him and [Gabriel] Bortoleto, who's going to Sauber [next season], so it's a big weekend for him."